STEPHANIE FRIESE (ARON)

Stephanie Friese is a strategic advocate and negotiator who represents commercial real estate clients across the United States in both transactional and litigation matters. She is a founding and managing partner of Pursley Friese Torgrimson. Previously, she founded and managed Friese Legal for 13 years as one of the first woman-owned, woman-managed law firms certified by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

Stephanie is involved in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, from acquisition of land, to leasing, foreclosure, construction, and disposition. While she makes every effort to minimize a client’s inherent risks, she also litigates her client’s real estate issues related to the development, leasing and management of real estate.

Her clients include businesses that own and develop properties, as well as lenders, owners and investors involved in financing, acquisitions and dispositions of commercial office and industrial properties across the country. She brings extensive experience in all matters related to commercial real estate law and litigation for retail, industrial, office and mixed use property.

In the last 12 months, we have closed approximately 71 commercial real estate leasing transactions, totaling $43,266,228 in value

Our work spans 32 states across the U.S.

Approximately 60% of our practice is landlord-rep and 40% is tenant-rep.

Approximately 72% of our practice is office leasing (although we also work in retail, industrial, medical office, cell towers, and billboards).

Landlord Representation

Prepared and negotiated office lease in Norcross, Georgia worth in excess of $6.5 million over a 10 year term, including negotiating the work letter to protect the landlord’s interests during the tenant’s build-out.

Prepared and negotiated office leases in Marietta, Georgia for local real estate investor landlord, including negotiating with tenant with regard to delivery date in light of an uncertain completion timeframe for landlord’s initial build out of the premises.

Prepared and negotiated billboard ground lease in Marietta, Georgia.

Prepared and negotiated all leases for 7-suite 16,200 sq. ft. medical office building in Lithia Springs, Georgia, including leases to accommodate physicians in an office share arrangement.

Prepared and negotiated various term extension amendments for medical office building on behalf of a court-appointed receiver in Duluth, Georgia.

Negotiated industrial lease for flagship distribution and office node for Fortune 100 company’s operations in San Leandro, California valued at $1.3 million over a seven year term, including negotiating the tenant’s work letter for substantial build-out.

Negotiated office lease for local gym operator in Midtown, Atlanta, which required review and analysis of condominium documents and negotiation with the condominium association to ensure client’s legal use of the property.

Represented a local real estate investor in the disposition of a single tenant office building.

Represented an individual real estate investor in the purchase of a national single tenant NNN leased retail building.

Represented Purchaser and owner-occupant in acquisition of 7,000 square foot office building in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Represented seller in connection with the disposition of a 47,000 square foot multi-tenant office building in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Collections and Evictions

Obtained a $1.3 million judgment in Fulton County State Court against a defaulting anchor tenant of a local shopping center.

Foreclosed and evicted high-profile tenant in default from a 14-acre, multi-building campus in Lithonia, Georgia, prevailing against the tenant’s efforts to avoid eviction through filing multiple bankruptcies and appeals.

Assisted landlord with collection of several thousand dollars of past due rent owing from defaulting tenant with no personal guaranty of lease in place

Federal Litigation

Won a $3.4 million judgment in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, against 3 defendants on 4 separate promissory notes to a failed lending institution.

Won a $4.5 million judgment in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, against maker of a promissory note to a failed lending institution.

Obtained a $2.3 million judgment in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, against maker of a promissory note to a failed lending institution.

Won a $550,000 summary judgment in U.S. District Court, North District of Georgia, against maker of a promissory note to a failed lending institution.

Foreclosure, Quiet Title and Other Real Estate Related Litigation

Represented a group of heirs in action to quiet title for 36 acres in Superior Court of Jones County.

Assisted in successful defense of lender which took title to property by foreclosure against a quiet title action and challenge to foreclosure sale filed by borrower

Obtained a prompt dismissal of a suit filed against our client in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, within 90 days of the suit being filed. The complaint was a complaint for damages and equitable relief relating to a foreclosure of real property.

Foreclosed on real property and subsequently executed the dispossessory of a litigious holdover tenant, defeating the efforts of the tenant to prevent our lender client from taking possession of the property. The matter involved 3 civil actions filed in 3 courts over a 2-year period (the U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the Superior Court of Forsyth County, and the State Court of Forsyth County).

Obtained, within 30 days of service, voluntary dismissals of all claims against a landlord client in personal injury lawsuits involving the leased premises.